Music-leaf turner.



A. J. WESTENHAVER.

MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, I915.

1,168,984, Patented Jan. 18, I916.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

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THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co, WASHINGTON, D. c

A. .J. WESTENHAVER.

MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

' f APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, 1915. r 1,1 3,934, Patented Jams, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

" N E STATES PATENT OFFICE,

ANDREWJ'. WES1ENHAVEE'OFNORTH MANKATO, MINNESOTA.

Toall whom it ma?) concern siding at North Mankato, in thescounty of Nicollet and State of Minnesota, have i11- vented new and useful Improvements in Music-Leaf Turners, of which the following is a specification. Theinvention relates to music leaf turners.

The primary objectof the invention is the provision of a device of this characterwherein the sheets or leaves of music will be held firmlywithout pos'sibilityof the accidental falling thereof, and will be automatically turned in successive order singly, thereby avoiding the fingering of the sheets or leaves for this purpose.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a music leaf turner of this character wherein the leaf turning arms are moved under the action of spring tension'ed racks geared thereto, the racks being released by latch keys in convenient reach of the operator, the music, leaf turning arms being of novel form so that the sheets or leaves of the music can be firmly clamped therein.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a music leaf turner which can be readily and easily mounted upon .a piano, organ, music stand, or other rack therefor, and can be conveniently operated for the quick and successful turning of the sheets or leaves of the music.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a music leaf turner which is simple in construction, .reliable and efficient in operation, strong, durable, and inexpensive in manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the

invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings,. and ,pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a music leaf turner constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 1 is a sectional view on the line l1 of Fig.

2. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the music leaf turner. Fig. 6

is a sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

S1m1lar reference characters lndicate cor- MUsIc-LEarrURNER. I

Specification of'LettersPatent;

Applicationfilet1Eebruaryfh,1915 serial1vo.'9 ,ess.'

r h res pending parts throughout the several Be itknown that 1, AN RE J. VVEs'rEN- HAvnn, a citizen of the UnitedStates, re-

, designates generally a casing which is in the form of a substantially rectangular shapedv box or housing having spaced verticaltransversely arranged walls 10 which are formed with registering guide openings 11 in which are slidably fitted upper and lower horizontally disposed movable bars 12.and 13, re spectively, which are formed with reduced rounded inner ends 14 about which are loosely coiled retractile spr1ngs15, the ends of the latter adjacent to the extremities of the rounded ends 14 being connected thereto,-

' while the remaining ends of these springs 15 are fastened 1n a stationary block 16, and

on moving the bars from left to right the springs 15 are expanded, and by reason of j their connection with the bars 12 and 13 the latter. will be tensioned for automatic sliding movement from right .to left when freed in a manner and for a purpose presently described.

Mounted vertically in the casing A are shafts 17 and 18, respectively, the latter being formed with stud shafts, while the shaft 17 is long and is formed with a longitudinally disposed slit 19 which opens through the upper end thereof to provide resilient clamping fingers 20 between which is adapted to be inserted a sheet of the music to beturned, and fixed to thesev shafts 17 are music leaf turning arms 21, the outer ends of which have-fixed thereto vertical posts or uprights 22 which are longitudinally split toform resilient fingers 23 between which .are engaged the sheets of musicwhen positioned on the music leaf turnmg devlce. The shafts are arranged 1n spaced relation toeach other and have fixed thereto cog gears or wheels 24. which mesh with rack teeth 25 formed on the respective bars 12 and 13 so .that on, movement of the latter the said shafts 17. and 18 will be rotated whereby the arms 21 will turn the sheets of music from right to left or vice versa,

Mounted in the top of the casing A between the shafts 17 and 18 is a vertical post or red 26 which serves as a holder for the music when the same has its leaves engaged in the-fingers 20 and 23, respectively. 7 The top or cover of the casing A is formed with an extension 27, while mounted in the same and in the top or cover of the casing are stop pins 28 which are arranged in the path of movement of the arm 21 so as to limit the swinging thereof from right to left or vice versa.

Formed interiorly of the casing A are suitable bearings 29 in which are pivoted locking levers 30 and 31, respectively, the same forming hand keys and protrude through suitable openings 32 in the front of the casing A for convenience tothe operator so that they may be manually manipulated. The bars 12 and 13 are formed with notches 33 for receiving the inner ends of the levers 30 and 31 which are acted upon by springs 34 so as to hold the inner ends normally engaged in the notches 33 when the bars 12 and 13 have been pushed inwardly within the casing against the resistance of the springs 15 connected thereto. The music leaf turning arms 21 are disposed at the right when the bars 12 and 13 have been pushed inwardly of the casing A, and in this position the said bars are locked by the levers 30 and 31, respectively. Now, on depressing the lever 30 the first arm will automatically turn for the turning of the first sheet of the music, and upon depressing the other lever the next sheet of music will be turned. Should it be desired to turn back the sheets of music the bars 12 and 13 are pushed inwardly within the casing, whereupon the same will become looked through the medium of the levers 30 and 31, and on pushing the bars inwardly the springs 15 connected thereto will become tensioned so that on the release of the bars the arms will be automatically thrown from right to left for the successive turning of the sheets of music. It is of course to be understood that the device may be constructed with the desired number of music leaf turning arms accordingly with respect to the number of sheets of the music, and these arms are operated in a manner as hereinbe fore set forth. Normally the bars 12 and 13 are pushed inwardly of the box or housing A, which turn the arms 21 from left to right, and on movement of these bars the springs 15 are expanded, thereby tensioning the said bars. The latter when being moved within the box or housing are engaged by the inner ends of the levers 30 and 31 which drop into notches 33 formed in the said bars, and thereby locking the same against movement under the tension of the springs'15 until either or both of the bars are released, whereupon the springs 1.5 will become active for forcing the bars from right to left and simultaneously therewith the music leaf turning arms 21 will swing in the same direction, thereby turning the leaves of the sheet music. 'It is of course understood that the lever 30 is first depressed to release the bar 13, which under the action of the spring 15 will move from left to right, thereby turning the first sheet of the music, and subsequently the lever 31 is depressed to free the bar 12, which moves from right to left to turn another sheet of the music.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and manner of operation of the device will be clearly understood, and therefore a more extended explanation has been omitted.

lVhat is claimed is 1. A music leaf turner comprising a. casing having a vertical transverse partition therein, upper and lower horizontally disposed bars slidable through the partition and one end of the casing, coiled retractile springs connected within the casing and to said bars for moving the same, vertically disposed shafts journaled in said casing and rising above the same, rack gears formed on said shafts interiorly of the casing, rack teeth formed on the slidable bars and meshing with the respective rack gears, arms fixed to the vertical shafts, split clamping fingers adjustably mounted on the arms, and keys projected through the front of the casing and pivoted for movement to engage with the bars for locking the same under the tension of the spring.

2. A music leaf turner comprising a casing having a vertical transverse partition therein, upper and lower horizontally disposed bars slidable through the partition and one end of the casing, coiled retractile springs connected within the casing and to said bars for moving the same, vertically disposed shafts j ournaled in said casing and rising above the same, rack gears formed on said shafts interiorly of the casing, rack teeth formed on the slidable bars and mesh ing with the respective rack gears, arms fixed to the vertical shafts, split clamping fingers adjustably mounted on the arms, keys projected through the front of the easing and pivoted for movement to engage with the bars for locking the same under the tension of the spring, and extensions on the said casing and forming stops for limiting the swinging movement of the arms.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANDRE J. \VESTENHAVER. WVitnesses C. O. DAILEY, LOUISE DEPUYAT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the f Commissioner 0! Patents, Washington, D. C. 

